Sub-pixel array optical sensor
US8035711B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/134
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Improving the dynamic range of captured images is disclosed by using sub-pixel arrays to capture light at different exposures and generate color pixel outputs for an image in a single frame. Each sub-pixel array can include multiple sub-pixels. The sub-pixels that make up a sub-pixel array can include red (R) sub-pixels, green (G) sub-pixels, blue (B) sub-pixels, and in some embodiments, clear sub-pixels. Those sub-pixel arrays having clear sub-pixels effectively have a higher exposure level and can capture low-light scenes (for dark areas) better than those sub-pixel arrays without clear sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel array can produce a color pixel output that is a combination of the outputs of the sub-pixels in the sub-pixel array. Each sub-pixel in a sub-pixel array can have the same exposure time, or in some embodiments, individual sub-pixels within a sub-pixel array can have different exposure times to improve the overall dynamic range even more.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.